Electrolytic apparatus.



WITNESSES:

A. BRIGHAUX.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 0014, 1898.

Patented Oct. 26, '1909.

- i :NYENZOR I BY v @sfl m ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR BRICHAUX, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOLVAY PROCESSCOMPANY, or SYRACUSE, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELEGTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat-ented Oct. 26, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR BRIOHAUX, a subject of Belgium, residing atBrussels, Belgium, have invented a new and useful ElectrolyticApparatus, (for which I have filed applications for foreign LettersPatents as follows: Belgium, No. 134,176, March 5, 1898; Germany, No. S.11,224/7 5, March 18, 1898; Great Britain, No. 7,471, March 28, 1898;Russia, No. 4,603, May 4/16, 1898; France, No. 266,675, June 14, 1898;Switzerland, No. 18,984, July 29, 1898; Austria, August 19, 1898, andHungary, No. 12,055, August 25, 1898,) and of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object the production of an electrolyticapparatus of such construction as to reduce to a minimum the liabilityof recombination of the products separated by the current; and to thisend, it consists in the combinations and constructions hereinafter fullyset forth and claimed.

In. describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawing, which is a vertical sectional view of my electrolyticapparatus.

This electrolytic apparatus comprises in its organization a receptacle Afor receiving the electrolyte, and means for maintaining within thereceptacle layers of the electrolyte a a. arranged one above the otherin direct contact with each other, and formed of unequal density and ofsubstantially uniform thickness from end to end. Said receptacle A is ofany desirable form, size, and construction, being usually rectangularand of greater length than height. A suitable cathode 0. as mercury, issupported upon the bottom of the receptacle A beneath the layer a ofgreater density, and an anode, as conductors a is arranged within thelayer a of less density, said cathode and anode being connected totheconductors a a of an electric circuit.

The means for maintaining the layers a a of the electrolyte of unequaldensity within the receptacle A preferably comprises a partition B,chambers C C, and a regulator G The partition B is arranged within thereceptacle A between one of its side walls a. and the anode a and abovethe bottom of said receptacle and the lower layer a of the electrolyte.Said partition may obviously be fixed in position, but is generallyconnected to a suitable adjuster, as a nut b, for

raising and lowering the partition, in order to regulate the depth ofthe lower layer a of the electrolyte, which layer usually fills theportion of the receptacle A arranged beneath the partition B and abovethe oathode a.

The chambers C C, which contain the material to be electrolyzed, arepreferably so connected to said receptacle that unequal areas thereofcommunicate respectively with the portions of the receptacle inclosingthe layers a a of the electrolyte for supplying to the respective layersunequal amounts of the material to be electrolyzed. Said chamber C isgenerally arranged in proximity to the side a of the receptacle Aadjacent to the partition B and communicates with said receptacle bysuitable conduits 0 c 0 opening into the receptacle A at one side of thepartition B and at points above and below the lower edge of saidpartition. The chamber C is arranged in proximity to the opposite sideof the receptacle A, is generally of less size than the chamber C, andpreferably communicates with the receptacle A by a single conduit 0opening into the receptacle A at the opposite side of the partition Band at a point above the lower edge of said partition. The regulator Cusually consists of a plate, which is movable across the conduit 0 forcontrolling the passage therethrough of the material to be electrolyzed,and may be raised and lowered by a suitable adjuster, as a nut 0 Themeans for maintaining the layers a a of the electrolyte of unequaldensity within the receptacle A constitutes feeding means in directcommunication with the electrolyte on opposite sides of the partition B,to supply sufiicient quantity of fresh material to maintain the denselayer in a saturated condition, and to supply suflicient quantity ofmaterial to the less dense layer to compensate for decomposition thereinless the material introduced to said less dense layer by diffusion fromthe dense layer.

The passage through the conduits c 0 of the material to be electrolyzedtakes place without circulation of the layers, except by diffusion,although it is obvious that the layers may be positively circulated, asin my patent, No. 774,230, issued Nov. 8, 1904. The described means formaintaining layers of the electrolyte of .unequal density within thereceptacle A is particularly simple in construction, and practical inoperation, but it is obvious that any other suitable means may be usedfor this purpose if desired.

The operation of my electrolytic apparatus is as follows :Theelectrolyte is divided into upper and. lower layers arranged one abovethe other in direct contact with each other and formed of unequaldensity and of substantially uniform thickness from end to end, thelower layer being in contact with the mercury or other cathode andalmost or entirely saturated with the material to be electrolyzed, as analkaline chlorid, and the upper layer being in direct contact with thelower layer and the anode and impregnated with a less amount of saidmaterial. The dense lower layer serves the purpose of a diaphragmwithout occasioning the inconvenience attending the use of an ordinarymechanical diaphragm, and during the passage of the current remainspractically free from the material, as chlorid, being liberated at theanode, since said lower layer in contact with the mercury or othercathode is saturated with the material to be electrolyzed as an alkalinechlorid, and cannot readily absorb any liberated chlorin, and since saidlower layer, being maintained as a distinctlayer by the partition B andthe chamber 0, does not perceptibly mix with the upper layer of lessdensity which surrounds the anode and readily absorbs the liberatedchlorin, owing to the comparatively small amount of the material to beelectrolyzed, as an alkaline chlorid, in solution therewith, and whichis maintained as a dist nct layer by said partition 13, and the chamberO. Recombination of the material, as chlorin, liberated at the anodewith the material, as sodium or potassium, liberated at the cathode isthus prevented.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electrolytic apparatus comprising two communicating chambers, a'layer of electrolyte of comparatively greater density arranged in one ofthe chambers, a second layer of electrolyte of comparatively lessdensity arranged in the other chamber above, and in direct contact with,and positive and negative electrodes arranged respectively in contactwith such layers on opposite sides of the horizontal line of division ofsaid layers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle, a partitiontherein to provide chambers in the receptacle, said chambers being inopen communication with each other, a layer of electrolyte ofcomparatively greater density arranged in one of the tively lesschambers, a layer of electrolyte of comparadenslty arranged in a secondchamber above, and in direct contact with,

the first layer,

the first layer, a cathode arranged in contact with the denserelectrolytic layer, and an anode arranged in the electrolytic layer ofless density, said anode being airanged above the cathode, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

3. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, the electrodes being arranged one above theother, means for maintaining within the receptacle layers of theelectrolyte arranged one above the other in direct contact with eachother, and means for supplying to the respective layers of theelectrolyteunequal amounts of the material to be electrolyzed,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

, 4. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, the electrodes being arranged one above theother, means for maintaining within the receptacle layers of theelectrolyte of unequal density arrangedone abovethe other in directcontact with each other, each layer being of substantially uniform thickness from end to end, and means for supplying to the respective layersof the electrolyte unequal amounts of the material to be electrolyzed,substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, means for maintaining layers of theelectrolyte of unequal density within the receptacle, and separatechambers for containing the material to be electrolyzed, said chambershaving unequal areas thereof communicating respectively with theportions of the receptacle inclosing the layers of the electrolyte,substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

6. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, a partition arranged within the receptaclebetween opposite walls thereof and having its lower edge arranged abovethe bottom of the receptacle and spaced apart therefrom, and means forsupplying layers of the electrolyte of unequal density at opposite sidesof the partition, said layers being in direct contact with each other,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, means arranged in the receptacle to providetherein two communicating chambers, a layer of electrolyte of comparatively greater density arranged in one of the chambers, a second layerof electrolyte of comparatively less density arranged in the otherchamber above, and in direct contact with, the first layer, and meansfor supplying to said layers respectively the material to beelectrolyzed, substantially as and for I the purpose described.

' material communicating :receptacle between opposite walls thereof aand having its sup 8. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptaclefor receiving the electrolyte and electrodes, a partition arrangedwithin the lower edge arranged above the bottom of the receptacle, anadjuster for raising and lowering the partition, an means for supplyinglayers of the electrolyte of unequal density at opposite sides 0 thepartition, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. An electrolytic apparatus comprising two communicating chambers, alayer of electrolyte of comparatively greater density arranged in one ofthe chambers, a second layer of electrolyte of comparatively lessdensity arranged in the second chamber above, and in direct contactwith, the first layer, electrodes arranged respectively in contact withsaid layers of electrolyte, means for supplying to said layersrespectively the to be electrolyzed, and means for regulating the amountof such material fed to said layers, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

'10. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, a partition arranged within the receptaclebetween opposite walls thereof andhaving its lower edge arranged abovethe bottom of the receptacle, a chamber with the receptacle atone sideof the partition for, maintaining a layer of the electrolyte of greaterdensity beneath the lower edge of the partition, and a secondchambercommunicating with thereceptacle at the other side of the part'tion formaintaining a layer of electrolyte of less density above the lower edgeof the partition and in contact with the former layer of electrolyte,substantially as and for the purpose de scribed.

11. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle and electrolytetherein, a separating partition in said receptacle, feeding means indirect communication with the electrolyte at one side of the partitionto ply a sufficient quantity of fresh material to be electrolyzed tomaintain a portion of the electrolyte in a saturated condition,'andthereby provide a comparatively dense layer of electrolyte, feedingmeans in direct com-' munication with the electrolyte on the other sideof said partition to supply a suflicient' quantity of material to beelectrolyzed to compensate for the decomposition therein less thematerial introduced from the denser layer by diffusion, a cathodelocated in contact with' the denser layer of electrolyte, and an anodesuperimposed above the cathode and located in the layer of less density,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a receptacle,positive and negelectrolyzed directly to the electrolyte on ,areceptacle for the partition ative electrodes located therein, one abovethe other without the interposition of a mechanical diaphragm, and anelectrolyte in said receptacle submerging the electrodes, of aseparating partition arranged in the receptacle and separating theelectrolyte into two layers, means for supplying a sufficient quantityof fresh material to be electrolyzed directly to the electrolyte on oneside of the partition to saturate one layer of the electrolyte andprovide a comparatively dense layer of the same about the cathode, andmeans for feeding a supply of material to be the other side of thepartition to provide a layer of electrolyte about the anode ofcomparatively less density, the second-mentioned layer being supportedupon the first-mentioned layer and in direct contact therewith,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a' receptacle, a cathodearranged in the bottom portion thereof, an anode superimposed above thecathode, means for maintaining a substantially saturated layer ofelectrolyte in the receptacle about the cathode including means forfeeding a constant supply of material to be electrolyzed proportioned inreference to the decomposition of said layer, and means for maintaininga second layer of electrolyte in the receptacle, surrounding the anode,in direct contact withthe first layer, of less density than the same andsupported thereon, the latter meansincluding a supply in directcommunication with the second layer for constantly feedin thereto anamount of material to be eleetrolyzed proportioned in reference to theelectrolytic decomposition of the second layer and the supplyintroduced-thereinto by diffusion, substantially asand for the purposedescribed.

14; An electrolytic apparatus comprising receiving the electrolyte andelectrodes, a partition arranged in the receptacle between oppositewalls thereof and having its lower edge disposed above the bottom of thereceptacle, a chamber communicating with the receptacle at one side ofthe partition above the lower edge .of the partition for maintaining alayer of electrolyte of greater density beneath the lower edge of thepartition, a second chamber communicating with the receptacle at theother side of for maintaining a layer of electrolyte of less densityabove the lower edge of the partition and in contact with the formerlayer of electrolyte, and a regulator for controlling the passage ofsaid material from one of the chambers, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

1.5. An electrolytic apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving theelectrolyte and electrodes, a partition arranged withinthe receptaclebetween opposite walls thereof and havin its lower edge disposed abovethe chambers, substantially as and for'the purbottom oi' 'thereceptacle, an adjuster for pose set-forth. moving the partitionvertically, a chamber In testimony whereof, I have-hereuntocommunicating with the receptacle -at one signed my name in the presenceof two at- 5 side of the partition above the ower edge of testingwitnessesv at. Brussels Belgium this the partition, a second chambercommunicatfirst day of September 1898. ing with the receptacle at theother side of ARTHUR BRICHAUX. the partition above the lower edge ofsaid. Witnesses: a partition, and a regulator for controllingthe J. O..Fl'insrnnnorr, 10 passage of such material from one o the GREGORY v

